ARTICLES IN JOURNALS. 881 
space than there is 2 <1 disposal ; suffice it to say that, although 
in face of Mr. Darwin’s infinite store of observations, those of our 
author may appear ritalin scanty, his deductions from them 
merit serious consideration, as does likewise his exposure of the 
weak points in the reasoning of his adversary; while some of the 
facts which bi adduces should make many doubt whether con- 
clusions with vga they have grown familiar are so very certain 
after all. As mpendious maar, tie we may take the question o 
the eiae:Tertiliintion of flowers. On the authority of Mr. Darwi 
it has grown to be almost an ail of faith that retested 
is the greatest boon to a plant struggling for existence, that the 
services of bees in this direction have been invaluable to plants, and 
that these have been the great factor in their modification. On every 
one of these points Mr. Syme demurs. Cross-fertilisation is not, he 
declares, the boon that is i a ate, the law of it is more 
honoured in the breach than in the observance, and those plants 
which do not adopt it thrive ie than those that do: the service 
more anes to them than good,—nor is there any sound ps a 
to connect the modification of flowers with this cause. How h 
canetia his position must be judged Yuen his own pages; but co 
remark may be made, ney that it is very hard in matters like 
these to get at the facts of a case. We are all aware that the 
Till thses were introduced, we have often been assured, the p. 
tears infertile, in spite of plentifl fees cs bat soured Sey 
it has produced seed. But r in the New Zeala 
Tablet of May 8th, 1891, gives senate | that the clover has been 
just as infertile since the bees came as it was before; and now 
comes Mr. Syme to sine that it seeded freely before there were 
any bumbles, and that one of the leading Melbourne seedsmen 
(whose name sito fusascty 3 is not given) bears witness to having 
received seed, for seventeen years, from the Western cai of 
ictoria, thoug there have never been any such bees . t 
ony. ‘ 
ARTICLES IN JOURNALS. 
Bot. Centralblatt (No. 48, 44).—P. K er ‘Zur Kenn 
der Fctocarpus-Arten der Kieler Féhrde. *—(No. 45). P. Kunth, ‘ Die 
Kinwirkung der Bliitenfarben auf die photographische Platte.’— 
. v. Herder, Elodea canadensis in Gouvernement St. Petersburg.’— 
M. Kronfeld, ‘Humboldt iiber das elektrise he Verhalten der 
Mimosa pudica und iiber Pfilanzenathmun 
Bot. Gazette (Oct. 16). —T. eaonne, ‘ Kosiecieal Characters of 
ne American Graminee’ (2 plates).—G. F. Atkinson, ‘ Structure 
d dimorphism of Hypoerea eae *—J. M. Macoun, ‘ Notes 
oa the Flora of Canada.’ 
